Virtual Chebacco Author Program
LaRue Spiker, prominent among the Who’s Who of Mount Desert Island, was a freelance writer, photographer,journalist, and editor of Bar Harbor Times in the early 1960s. Those who remember her describe her as no-nonsense and intelligent; not only did she receive frequent kudos in the Letters to the Editor, but also many criticisms for the opinions she expressed in her editorials and articles.
Having moved to the area “from away,” Spiker brought a fresh lens to the island, capturing not only its natural beauty in her photographs but also numerous people from many different walks of life. She seemed to have an insatiable curiosity about everything MDI, writing about sea urchins, ladyslippers, and ferns, along with feature articles on fishing villages, local artists and writers, and political issues such as nuclear disarmament and the consolidation of MDI high schools.
In this presentation, Jenna Jandreau, author of the article “Learning from LaRue” published in the 2024 edition of Cbebacco, will talk about LaRue’s prolific writing and photography in the area, and the impact both her creativity and conscience had on the people and places of Mount Desert Island.
The program is a collaboration between the MDI Historical Society and the Southwest Harbor Public Library. Register Here
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Bio: Jenna Jandreau is a freelance writer and photographer who lives in northern Maine’s Saint John Valley with her husband and Yorkshire Terrier. She was the Collections Manager at MDI Historical Society in 2018 and the Communications Coordinator in 2022-2023. Her writing and photography have appeared in The Maine Townsman, Off the Coast, Strut & Axle, Chebacco, and other publications.
Photo: LaRue Spiker, 1959. Mount Desert Island Historical Society
Links:
The Quietside's Unsung Civil Rights Heroines: LaRue Spiker & Louise Gilbert & the Wade House Bombing